Plum Danish

 

Tomato Confit with Pasta and Creamy Goat Cheese

If you've got a vegetable garden of any size, you're probably getting a bit tired of dealing with the mass of tomatoes coming your way by this point. I know I am. I still can't stop myself from making a few last tomato indulgences, though. Still up is my annual batch of Honey and Lemon Tomato Salsa and one more batch of tomato sauce. Then, I think, we will have used most of the tomatoes and the rest will go for BLT's, Caprese, chopped for omelets or added to salads, stuffed and roasted. We will certainly miss them in January, but right now they are as plentiful as ants in an anthill.

Whiskey and Cider Glazed Ham with Colcannon

I know I'm pushing the Fall thing, but it's presence is ever closer - just look at all that goldenrod that's in bloom! SB and I went for a bike ride today out along one of  the New Hampshire rail trail bike paths. This one was over in Jaffrey. There were clumps of goldenrod along the path and ponds carpeted with defunct lilypads ... limp, drooping blossoms laying on the water and bullfrogs 'galumphing' away.

Flying Geese and Fall Comin' On ...

Yup, Fall's comin' on! I went to the lake yesterday and plunked myself in a beach chair with a good book - The Song of Achilles  (Madeline Miller) is a wonderful read. The sun did its magic on my exposed legs and décolletage while I got lost in the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles, the unfolding of the Trojan War, the sad fulfillment of Achilles' fate, and the numerous dalliances of the Gods and mortals.

Occasionally, I'd loll back and look out over Harrisville Pond and up into the sky. It was that fantastic washed-out blue of late summer; there were fair weather clouds making their lazy way from west to east ... it was such a gorgeous day. After a few hours of quiet and a couple lazy dips in the water, it became painfully obvious that I needed to get out of the sun. Between the stares of a few 'sun neighbors' and the beginnings of a sunburn tingle, I knew that I shouldn't have forgotten the sunscreen at the house and I should have moved into the shade much sooner. Alas, I shall be a lobster for a few days ...

Triple Chocolate Cherry Biscotti

Perfect cookies for dunking in a good strong cup of coffee



My friend Brenda from over at Brenda's Canadian Kitchen made biscotti this past week and I have not been able to get those beautiful crunchy biscuits off my mind. To boot, this month's 'We Should Cocoa' challenge has been playing with my imagination. The challenge is chocolate and cherries and as the image of biscotti stewed around abit, I began plotting the next 'sweet tooth treat' for SB. Yes, chocolate biscotti would be just the ticket ... but let's add chocolate chips AND dried cherries! Then, let's dip those little guys in bittersweet chocolate so that when they get dunked in coffee or milk or tea or whatever ... oh my! And almonds! Why not almonds too ?

Vegetable Cobbler

There was something so utterly comforting about this dish. While it worked really well this evening, at the height of summer, I can see myself making it when the snow is blowing and the drafts are shifting throughout the house.  It's an easy mix of celery, onion, garlic, carrots, acorn squash, cauliflower, tomatoes, mushrooms, red lentils, oregano, chives, and parsley, vegetable broth, some hot spicy chili sauce, and a cornstarch and water thickener. This 'cobbler' has chunks of everything; there is no mincing here. It's substantial vegetarian fare. The dish is topped with herbed dumplings that have been cheesed up with smoked Gouda. We had it with a big bowl of steamed green beans and big glasses of Meritage.

My Gift to You ...

Photo Credit: Sara Lindquist

I hope you're having a beautiful day!

Barm Brack and Honey Butter

This is barm brack, an Irish dried fruit loaf that resembles Panettone when it's baked in a nice deep casserole. SB and I call it poor man's panettone. It doesn't have all the eggs and citron fruit, but it does have currants, and golden raisins, and dried cranberries (my idea).  It is infinitely better than Irish soda bread - it's a yeast bread, after all and not a quick bread.